BURBANK, CA – Patton Oswalt, who was recently nominated by the Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles Film Critics’ Associations for his performance in the film Young Adult starring opposite Charlize Theron, will host this year’s 39th Annual Annie Awards on Saturday, February 4, 2012, at UCLA’s Royce Hall.

"The Annies are where the real weirdos hang, and it's a visual feast just to have a drink with them,” says Oswalt, irreverent as always. “I can't wait.” Celebrating the best in animation, this annual black-tie evening will begin with a pre-reception at 5 p.m. followed by the Annie Awards ceremony at 7 p.m. and an after-party celebration immediately following the ceremony. All events will be held at Royce Hall.

“Patton’s comedic talent, audacious humor and love for animation will bring great energy and visibility, not to mention fun to this year’s ceremony,’’ says ASIFA-Hollywood President Frank Gladstone. “We are extremely excited to have him aboard.”

Patton provided the voice for Remy the rat in Pixar’s Oscar winning Ratatouille, and also characters on Word Girl and Neighbors from Hell. He has appeared in countless television shows, both animated and live action, and more than 20 films, including Magnolia, Big Fan, Starsky and Hutch and The Informant.

This year’s Winsor McCay recipients are Walt Peregoy, Borge Ring and Ronald Searle. Searle’s award will be posthumous, as he passed late last year at the age of 91. The Winsor McCay Award stands as one of the highest honors given to an individual in the animation industry in recognition for career contributions to the art of animation.

About the Annie Awards

Often a predictor of the annual Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, the Annie Awards honor overall excellence as well as individual achievement in a total of 28 categories ranging from best feature, production design, character animation, and effects animation to storyboarding, writing, music, editing and voice acting. Entries submitted for consideration were from productions that originally aired, were exhibited in an animation festival or commercially released between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011.

ASIFA-Hollywood is the world’s first and foremost professional organization dedicated to promoting the Art of Animation and celebrating the people who create it. Today, ASIFA-Hollywood, the largest chapter of the international organization ASIFA, supports a range of animation activities and preservation efforts through its membership. Current initiatives include the Animation Archive, animation film preservation, special events, classes and screenings.

Created in 1972 by veteran voice talent June Foray, the Annie Awards have grown in scope and stature for the past three decades.